What happened?
European stocks closed sharply lower on Friday, and the vibe was basically: not today, optimism. Inflation fears flared back up after oil prices surged on Middle East tensions, which is the kind of one-two punch that makes investors suddenly remember they do, in fact, own spreadsheets.
Why the market got jumpy
When oil spikes, traders start doing the math on what that means for inflation, margins, and central banks. Translation: more expensive energy can keep prices sticky, and sticky prices usually mean policymakers get less eager to cut rates. That’s not exactly the soundtrack bulls were hoping for.
The other mood killer
There was also no obvious feel-good payoff from the U.S.-China summit, which left sentiment hanging in the air like a group chat where nobody wants to send the last message. Without a positive headline to offset the inflation drama, European equities just kept sliding.
Big picture
This wasn’t about one company or one sector. It was a classic macro gut punch: higher oil, hotter inflation fears, and fewer reasons to reach for risk. Big picture: when energy prices jump, markets don’t just get nervous — they start pricing in a whole new story.